


Lecter Enchanted

by broccoli



Category: Ella Enchanted - All Media Types, Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, ella enchanted storyline, manipulative bedelia, queen bedelia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-07
Updated: 2014-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-18 14:03:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1431187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broccoli/pseuds/broccoli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since childhood, Hannibal Lecter has been put under a spell that forces him to obey any command. After falling in love with Prince William, he travels to the castle to attend the Royal Ball and to meet William's aunt, the Queen, who will step down from the throne now William is of age. Not wanting to relinquish her power over the kingdom, she learns a secret about Hannibal and puts plans of her own into action.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lecter Enchanted

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in many, many years, so forgive me for the bad writing!
> 
> Some of the dialogue has been taken from the scenes in 'Ella Enchanted' that correspond to the ones in this.

The heavy wooden doors thud against the stone walls as she stalks into the library, sweeping haughtily past the empty tables until she is standing in front of him. The heavy hem of her train stirs up dust from the floor and it curls around her. He stands and bows respectfully, trying to keep his eyes fixed on his feet. Seeming to know this, she lifts his chin, forcing him to look into her face. He sees power and rage and cunning and can feel her drinking in his fear and unease that he too easily betrays on his own face.  
“I thought I might find you here, Hannibal.”  
He tries to remain courteous. “Yes, your highness. I enjoy the company of books.”  
“I can see,” she glances towards his table, piled high with books and parchment bound with thick leather, before returning her gaze to him. “I have received some information that might be of interest to you, Hannibal. As you know, tonight is the winter ball. At some point, amidst your frolicking and romancing, your… _Prince Charming_ will sweep you away to the hall of mirrors. Then, just before midnight, he will take you by the hand and ask you a question. I daresay you could guess what that question might be.”  
His skin prickles uncomfortably and the hairs begin to rise on the back of his neck. “How do you know all this?” he asks.  
“I know everything,” the Queen smirks. She reaches for one of the books on the table and knocks it to the floor. “Oh dear. Pick it up.”  
Immediately, Hannibal stoops to pick up the book, putting it back on the table.  
“Now touch your toes.”  
He touches his toes before he can stop himself. _What is happening?_  
“Yes, Hannibal. I know _everything_. Just as I know you must obey. You will obey any command you are given. Isn’t that right?”  
Hannibal gasps involuntarily. How could she know about the spell?   
“I.. I..”  
Her eyes glitter. “You… you…” she mimics cruelly. “Yes. A little bird tells me that you will do everything I ask of you.”  
“Please, stop,” he pleads.  
“Oh, I have no intention of doing that. What a gift you have, Hannibal. You will help me very much. I even have a little task for you.”  
In her hand is a small silver knife with a twisted jet handle.  
“At the stroke of midnight you will take this dagger and plunge it through his heart and kill your prince.”  
As the full weight of Bedelia’s plan hits him.  
“No. Never.”   
“Take the dagger, Hannibal. You cannot refuse.”  
Hannibal feels his stomach plunge as his hands move themselves to take the knife. It takes all of his strength to stop them from doing their command.   
“No!” he shouts. “I won’t!”  
The Queen looks at him. There is no remorse and no guilt in her glacial eyes. “Oh yes, Hannibal, you will. You will, because I order you to. Now go.”  
Before he knows it, he has taken the dagger. He stumbles away, his eyes blinded by tears. He must warn somebody, Will would surely listen… or Alana… anybody…  
But before he can leave, she calls him back. “Oh, and Hannibal?” He turns and their eyes meet, and he realises she knows the desperate thought that flickered through his mind. “You will tell nobody of this plan.”

-

 “When I was little, my father told me that when I came into this room I could look into these mirrors and see the man that I truly am. To see myself as a great man.” Will looks around mournfully at the mirrors around him. “Somehow I never could. I saw the cruel eyes of the murderer, the dark intentions of Garrett Jacob Hobbs, the twisted perspective of the Chesapeake Ripper. I got so lost in the minds of all of those killers, I think I lost myself. And then… and then you came along.” He smiles at Hannibal, and Hannibal tries to smile back, but his eyes betray him. A tear trickles down his cheek. “Hannibal, what’s wrong?”

  
What’s wrong? _What’s wrong?_ He had tried, he had tried so hard to stay away, pleading with Alana to forbid him to go to the ball, but she had laughed at his protests and dressed him in his tuxedo. “Are you really that scared of a _ball_?”   
“I’ve… I’ve drunk too much,” Hannibal had desperately tried to think of an excuse, but Alana was having none of it. He realised Will had told her his plans and had made her promise to get him to the ball.  
“You can’t miss this one, anyway. It’ll be special. And maybe don’t drink any more tonight. It will be… a night to remember.”  
She had called a taxi and pushed him into it, instructing the driver to take him inside the building personally if Hannibal tried to resist. And Hannibal tried so hard to resist, but the spell betrayed him. And suddenly, there William was, waiting for him at the top of the stairs, looking so changed in his smart attire, so handsome, that for a moment Hannibal almost forgot what he was fated to do. But only for a moment. Then the dread came rushing back and the tears started to sting at the corners of his eyes. William had dragged him into the ballroom for a couple of obligatory dances and to sample the extravagant food laid out for the _buffet froid_. Ten and eleven o’clock came and went and Hannibal’s nervous eyes darted to the ticking clocks as the hands moved towards the dagger of midnight. And then Will had whispered to him that he wanted to show him something, and had taken him by the hand through to the Hall of Mirrors.  
 _What’s wrong?_ If only he could say, if only he could warn William that he was in danger.

  
“I- I wish I could tell you,” Hannibal whispers, his voice catching in his throat. “These last few days have been so perfect-“  
“Well,” William chuckles, “apart from the dawn raid of Blake’s house, the Christmas ornaments made from his victims’ organs, the fingers in the fridge…” He counts down each memory on one of his own mercifully intact digits, his smile fading as he faces Hannibal again and looks at him searchingly. “But none of these things matter. We’re together now. I never want this to end.”  
“And I feel the same, but-” Hannibal tries to interpose, but to no avail.  
“That’s why I brought you here.” William gestures around to the mirrors, and Hannibal looks around and sees his terrified tear-stained face staring back at him a hundred times over. William smiles at Hannibal and takes his hand. “There’s something I wanted to ask you,” he begins, smiling shyly.  
“Will, I-” Hannibal tries to stop him again, but William kisses him before he can say anything more. Hannibal tries to kiss him back, but all he can think about is the cold steel at his side. Even though he is using all of his strength to stop himself, he can feel his hand twitching involuntarily towards the knife. He can feel William’s warm breath on his face as he breaks off the kiss and moves his head to whisper in his ear.   
“Hannibal… Hannibal Lecter, will you marry me?”  
Hannibal does not know how much longer he can maintain his self control, but he knows that it will not be for long enough. The hand holding William’s is shaking uncontrollably.   
“It’s ok, I know you’re scared, and I’m scared too, but- ”  
Hannibal starts to whimper. “No, no, no, no…”  
He can see doubt flicker across William’s eyes for a fleeting second, but he tries to hide it. “No?” William asks, confused.   
“No-”  
“I don’t understand. What is it? My…” he grimaces. “My stability? Your family? None of those things matter, Hannibal… If our love is strong, we can work it out.” He takes Hannibal in his arms and strokes his hair gently to try and calm him.  
“I _do_ love you, Will,” Hannibal whimpers into his shoulder, as Bedelia’s voice echoes in his head. _On the stroke of midnight, you will take this dagger and plunge it through his heart…_ The clock begins to chime. He wills his body to disobey, but he watches as his reflections raise their arms, the knife grasped in trembling hand, poised to strike his beloved. And the his hand starts to move towards Will’s neck, and Hannibal lets out a sob as his strength is nearly spent, and the blade glints in the light, and Will looks up, and he finally sees, and Hannibal cannot resist any longer-


End file.
